David Fravor is a retired U.S. Navy commander and former commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 41, the Black Aces. He completed a 24-year military career that included 18 years as a naval aviator and five Persian Gulf deployments beginning with Operation Desert Storm.
On November 14, 2004, while leading a training flight from USS Nimitz, Fravor and three other aviators observed a white, wingless Tic Tac-shaped object that mirrored maneuvers and accelerated rapidly. He described the performance in sworn 2023 congressional testimony.
- Commanding Officer of VFA-41 Black Aces aboard USS Nimitz in 2004.
- Graduated from Navy TOPGUN program.
- Visually observed Tic Tac UAP on November 14, 2004, off Southern California.
- Testified under oath on July 26, 2023, before House Oversight Subcommittee.
- Retired from Navy in 2006 after 24 years of service.
- United StatesBorn and raised in Ohio
- U.S. Navy24-year career, retired Commander 2006
- U.S. Naval AcademyAttended after Marine Corps enlistment
- Strike Fighter Squadron 41Commanding Officer, Black Aces, 2004–2006
- USS NimitzCarrier Air Wing Eleven, 2004
- TOPGUNGraduate, naval flight program
Background
David Fravor grew up in Ohio. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 17. After two years he transferred to the U.S. Naval Academy to pursue a career flying from aircraft carriers. He was commissioned as a Navy officer in 1988.
Fravor completed flight training and became a naval aviator. He flew multiple aircraft types including the A-6 Intruder and F/A-18 series. He graduated from the Navy's TOPGUN flight program and built a reputation as an experienced strike fighter pilot.
Over 18 years as a Navy jet pilot Fravor completed five deployments to the Persian Gulf. These tours began with Operation Desert Storm and continued through later operations supporting ground forces in Iraq. He logged thousands of flight hours in carrier-based operations.
In 2003 Fravor reported to VFA-41 as executive officer. He assumed command of the squadron, known as the Black Aces, in October 2004. The unit operated F/A-18F Super Hornets and was attached to Carrier Air Wing Eleven aboard USS Nimitz.
On November 14, 2004, Fravor led a two-aircraft section on a scheduled air-to-air training mission. USS Princeton controllers diverted the flight to investigate radar contacts tracked for two weeks that descended rapidly from above 80,000 feet.
Fravor and his wingman descended toward a patch of disturbed water and observed a small white Tic Tac-shaped object. The object had no visible wings, rotors, exhaust, or flight control surfaces. It mirrored the aircraft's movements before accelerating away.
The object traveled approximately 60 miles in less than a minute according to radar reports. A later flight by another VFA-41 crew recorded the infrared video later released by the Department of Defense. Fravor briefed the incident but received no formal follow-up at the time.
Fravor retired from the Navy in 2006 after 24 years of service. He later worked as a simulator instructor for Fidelity Technologies in California. He appeared as himself in the 2008 PBS documentary series Carrier documenting life aboard USS Nimitz.
Public attention increased after 2017 New York Times reporting on the incident. Fravor gave multiple interviews including on 60 Minutes and The Joe Rogan Experience. He maintained a consistent account of the object's observed performance.
On July 26, 2023, Fravor testified under oath before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security. He described the encounter in detail alongside other witnesses and stated the object's capabilities exceeded known aircraft performance.
Where They Are Now
As of October 25, 2026, David Fravor remains a public figure on UAP topics through occasional media appearances and interviews. He has continued to discuss the 2004 encounter in consistent terms without claiming knowledge of the object's origin.
Last updated 25 October 2026